Bacon hanger



Jv E. COVEY July 4, 1933.

BACON HANGER Filed Oct. 5, 1931 Jo/zrz I. Col/a v INVENTOR BY W ATTORNEY WI.T' H E. 6 5

' Pateni f iil 4; 1933 Y 'i I e cmere ILLIiIoIs; AeoRPoR TIoN; 0F "ILLINOIS,- 1

- The invention.reletesto e'lmc'on hanger V. The'pres'ent invention clesig'n'ecl for tl p'rocliiction -of skinneclf'hecdn. The e vem I tional hi cen of cernmerce'is produced by cur- V ing' and smeking that portion oi'the'hogbzu fcz'iss known as the belly, two" sides of ih'eingproclue'ecl fromeachhog 5 Bacon is marketed-either "in the slab or slieeformf' Muehof the bacon prod-uceclin a;

peeking house is slicerl at rlfpaekecl I in the PZLQRHL g'hOHSQ heingshipped by the packing, house in large quantifies to consumers orre' -SIieeCl' be {on 'must be protlricecl iii cond'i- 7' 'tion for i nime-:l-iate"=1ise Without further treat-fing by the'consluner, ai'iel'inafsinucl as the skiii i or rind; of thebgcori is inedible by reasonof its toughness," it mustfbe removed 'before the bacon is sli'ce'cl 'UsuIally-nthe bellies ing'finbrcler 'thatuse may he made the skin'fhut it maybe relhovedjeither hefere orl house practice, he ier or 'not'the'skin, is-ref moved, a coinh hen Jor -toothed instrument is tzi-Chedtonne 'e'iicl he pretl'izct by' in-- serti then'eilglihe tet of the hanger 611,-

'tirely throrigh the procluet, the product then is hecessary that the jrorlluctl e well. secured T in orderto ithstan the Brain-a ry handling inip oeessing'. such ins rt to fthe teeth-i1 afcombhangerijei tirely throng! one end the bellyresults in unsightly holes-Whichcause the grading cl'ovvh'ancl sometimes uttei" The present inyenti t With the aheve ancl other alre skinned beforeeur- H lutnger shown "applie'clto 5a slab 'of ba'con'f'and v viewed fromithefskinnecl side thereofgafter" smoking; k ln -conventionel packing-i. I s

' lean-side'ofthe slahfli 1 1 r i Referring to the di'awingy-iniwhich is "ii-=- lustra'tecl the "preferred embOdi'Inent'oif- -the invention; 1, clesigiiates a belly ork btcoh slab "having all of the slizi'n reino'ved withtheexe being suspendetliwsmok'ei bythe hanger; fas it ce'ption oflaJnal fOW I P' about 01.19 f

' ACO fHAiTfGER}; e

eon sicle'reble-fitem; letrge of beconis slieedf'or r i as practiced in connectioin' with' skinned bellies", contemplates the removal ofall "of the skin with theg exeeption of a "strip aboiit' one "finch icle at one enfliof'the belly to be eng age ol by the bacon h2inger',yvhreby the slab on' avoids such 1y holes ir l'thev product, and, in its preferred' V atthe-pa-cking house 'oriby v 'largeescale' retailers.

may be suspendecl inthe smoke houseb-r stored" with eliti in any" Way damaging the which is later to-be sliced.

the invention cOIIsi sts' in the eon'sti'uetionjantl novel conibinition encl arrangement of parts; hereinafter "described; illilstrated in" the :ac-

olo jeets in View,

cornpz nying drawing, andxset forthlin tljiey claims hereto 'tppendedyit' being understood 1 that-various changes'inthe form;prop()rtion*It}- I 'aind'minoh details of consti uctionj,"withini'the scope of'the claims, may be resorted to Withoutclepar'ting from the spirit. of: the inyen'f" ifieingi en'yi' of ther'advantziges Fi al 2 is asimilari D View, viewed; froni the .fFigllfe l is la perspective view-oferba'con' Wide extendingfzicross the' slab l'kitoneffenri thereof; The narrow "strip 2. is slit atinter f v yide =narr0w,' yertieallyl disposed,- partially [severed port-ironsfi beneath which the skewer ,4 is pasjsed; so. that the major" p'ortioniof the -"skewer will lie exteriorly of then'arr'o'W strip of skin'and e minimumportion of the" skewer er'i'nitt'ed tofeonl'e'in eontact with;

the edible portioh ofthesl'ahf'f vals t0 tem-narrow, ribbon-like cuts 3- to"*i- "permit a, skewe'rig l of a henge'rfi to be'laj'ce'd F V through thefaicl narrow-"strip "2. ;The-" cutsi j 3 are' preferably locatecl' adjacehtt'othe'encls Of: the strip encljin; pairs at intervals ro- 1 The hanger 5 and the skewer a, which constitutes the bottom supporting portion of the hanger, are formed from a single piece of stout wire or other suitable material which is doubled and bent intermediate of its ends to, form a supporting hook 7 composed of two sides which are twisted together at the shank portion 8 of the supporting hook. The wire is extended outwardly ant downwardly from the lower end of the shank 8 to form supporting arms 9 and 10, and the lower terminal portion of the hanger arm 9 is bent into approximately U-shap'e to form a keeper 11. for the safety-pin hanger. The wire, which is resilient, is partially coiled or bent at the lower or outer end of the other hanger arm 10 to form a spring loop 12 and is then extended across the bottom of the hanger to provide the said skewer member .4. The skewer memberor pin portion of the safety pin hanger has its free terminal portion 13 pointed to enable it to be readily passed through the hard portion of the'fatty tissue in rear of or beneath the narrow strip 2 of skin, and the resiliency of the spring loop 12 of the hanger maintains the pointed terminal portion in. engagement with the keeper 11.

The skewer of the safety-pin hanger is straight and provides a form for maintaining the slab fiat or straight while the bacon is being cured, and the belly or slab is maintained firmly against the straight skewer or pin member 4; by means of a wire 14 which v. const-itutes a confining member. The wire 14 passes around the lean side of the bacon and across the end edges of the same and hasvits terminal portion 15 coiled around the-hanger. arms within the keeper 11 and the spring loop 12. The wire 14 is waved .or' sigmoidally bent between the side edges of the bacon, as indicated at 16, to enable the wireto exert the desired pressure on the slab of bacon at the lean side thereof without danger of cutting into the bacon, and to reduce unsmoked area which would result from a-wire in contact with the bacon throughout thelength of the wire. The slab or belly of bacon is firmly maintained in a straight or flat condition between the wire 14 and the skewer member of the hanger,- and is thereby effectually prevented from curling while being processed. It will thus be seen that the device of the present invention enables the bacon to be suspended and cured without danger of injury to the end of the slab by piercing holes therethrough,

The labor incident to severing the strip of skin 2 from the slab of bacon is very small,

and this strip of skin may of course be re- The safety-pin skewer hanger, while de-1 signed especially for skinned slabs of bacon having the narrow'strip 2 of skin at one end, may of course be employed for hanging unskinned slabs of bacon having the slits 3 arranged at one end of the slab in the posi tion illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

From the foregoing and particularly in connection with the drawing itwill be manifest that the hanger herein described is of the skewer type and that the skewer or pin member 4 thereof is threaded under narrow transversely spaced loop providing portions of the skin or hide at the upper portion of abacon slab during the normal support of the slab by the hanger. It will also be noted that the hanger shown may be considered as having a central supporting section or hook provided by the hook 7 from which there depends outwardly-extending spaced sup porting arms 9 andlO and that the skewer or pin member 4 is carried by and in fact is integrally connected tothe lowerend of the hanger or supporting arm 10 through the mecium of the looped portion 12 that extends outwardlyfrom the lower end of the arm 10 and which providesmeans whereby the pin member is swingably supported by and from the lower end of the supporting arm 10. It will also be observed that the lower end of the other hanger or supporting arm, to'wit, the lower end of arm 9 isreversely bent so as to PIOVlClG/fl hook eye or keeper portion at 11 into which the free end which is vertically waved so as to provide an increase in the pressing or retaining surface thereof over and above a straight bar, but according to certain aspects of the invention this bar 16 couldbe either straight or waved. It will also be seen that from eachend of this rear transversely extending retaining bar or retaining section 16 there forwardly extends spacing elements or legs the forward end of each of whichspacing elements is coiled at 15 about and secured to'the lower end of the supporting arm or hanger arm.

One of the coiled portions 15 is located with- V in the area defined by the spring or coiled loop 12 previously mentioned, while the other coiled portion 15 is located within the region of the hook, eye or keeper portion 11 previously referred to. The result of this construction is that the confiningor retaining member provided by wire 14 is practically positioned at all times properly in a vertical direction in-respect to the skewer or pin member, with the result that when the hanger is in place-for retaining a strip of bacon there is provided a bacon slab and hanger assemblage.-' accordingitowhich the bacon slab is supportedby-the hanger so as todepe'nd from the hanger' and so that during 'suchperiod thebaconr slab' is firmly clamped'tand positioned between the skewer or pin "member 4 a on the onehand and the retaining bar 16 of the confining member on the other, This confiningof the upperend of the slab serves then and in that instance it will be noted that the; retaining member serves tomaintain the skewer member and, through the skewer pend spreadingv supportingarm's, from the lower end'of'one of which supporting arms 10' member, the hide in close relationship in re spectto the rest of the meat of the slab, with the result-that there is'notendency for the remaining portion of the skin vor rind to be forcibly torn from the rest of the slab. In other words, this "clamping arrangement existing between the skewer hanger and the retaining member serves'not merelysto retain the upper end of'the bacon-slab in proper form but it also avoids'com'pletely dehiding the bacon slab which might otherwise result from. rough handling if the clamping of the skin in placewere notavailedof.

What is claimed is: a 1

1-. A safetygpin type ofskewer'hanger for bacon 'sla'bswhich hanger comprises a'sup- I porting member providing a hook at the upper portion thereof from which" there dethrough the medium efa loop section there'is integrally connected and carried swingable skewer or pin member, the "other supporting arm being provided at the lower end thereof witha reversely bient section. providing a U shaped hook for the reception "of the free end of the skewer or pin member, said hanger also comprising a jU-shaped confining member which has a transversely'extending retaining bar from which-thereforwardly extend spac ing elements orlegs' the forward end of-each of which legs is connected to the lower ends of the respective supportingarmsby being looped aroundthe same, the looped portion of one of said legs being-connected to the lloop provided between the supporting arm and the skewer section or pin whereby the confining member is necessarily properly positioned against undu e vertical; movement relative to the skewer or pin member.

2. A safety-pin type of skewer hanger for bacon slabs which hangercomprises a supporting member providing a hook at the upper portion thereof from which there depend spreading supporting arms, from the lower end of one of which supporting arms through the mediumof an outwardly extending loop section thereof there is integrally connected and carried a swingableskewer or pin memher, the other supporting arm being provided at the lower end thereof'with a reversely bent section providing a hook or eye for thereception of the free end of the skewer or pin member, said hanger" also comprising a confining member provided by a U-shaped mem her which is vertically waved in a back or retaining bar section thereofand which U- shaped member has at eachend thereof a forwardly extending spacing or leg section,

' the forward end of each ofjwhich spacing sec member whereby the; confining member is" necessarily properly positioned against undue vertical movement relative to the skewer or pin member.

which comprises a supporting member having depending spreading supporting arms I a from the lower end of one of which support ing" arms. there is connected and'carried'aj swmgableskeweror pm'member, the other supporting arm being provided at the lower I end thereof with a reversely bent section prothe free end of t eskewer or pin member, said hanger also comprlsng a U-shaped confin mg member which has a transversely extending retaining bar from which there forwardviding a' U-sha edhook for the reception of ly extend spacing elements or legs'the forwardend of each'of which legs is connected to the-lower ends of therespective supporting arms whereby the confining member is vert cally positionedlm cooperative relatlonship in respect to'the skeweror pin member.

" 4. In thev treatment offbaconslabs-the'assemblagewh'ich comprises a bacon slab .dea hided except for a narrow transversely exteIlCllll'gStIlP left remaining at the upper end of the slab, the 'centra'l transversely'extendv ing section of which remaining strip is ver ticallyslitt ed soas to leavenarrow loop 'providing sect1ons,- the endsof which loop pro-i viding sections] are integral with the hide of the upper and lower portions ofthe strip,- and a safety pln skewer hanger comprising a supporting hook from which'there extend depending spreadingsupporting arms, by oneofwhlch supporting arms a skewer or pin member is carried at the lower end theremovement of the skewer or pin member, the other of which supporting arms has at the lower end thereof a U-shaped open top hook for the reception and support of the free end of theswinging skewer or pin member, and

r of and relative to which said skewer or pin member is mounted so as, to permit swinging 8. A safety-pm type of skewer hanger" V which hanger also has a retaining member providing a rear transversely extending retaining bar from the ends of which bar there forwardly extend spacing elements the forward ends of which are connected to the lowor portions of the supper-tin arms, which hanger is adapted to be brought in the assemblage by introducing the skewer or pin member under the loops in such a manner that the major portion of the skewer or pin member rests against the outside of the skin of said remaining strip in which said loop portions are provided, the spacing elements of the retaining member being such that when the skewer is thus threaded under the loops and when the free end of the skewer is supported in the hook provided at the lower end of the supporting arm corresponding to the tree end of the skewer said transversely extending retaining 'bar serves to hold and clamp the upper end oi? the bacon slab firmly bet-ween it on the one hand and the skewer or pin member on the other, whereby the upper end of the bacon will remain in proper form during the lmndling and treatment of the slab of the assemblage.

5. In the treatment of bacon slabs the assemblage which comprises a hanger and a bacon slab carried thereby, which bacon slab has a hide portion left thereupon, which hide portion has a trans ersely extending section that is vertically slitted so as to leave narrow loop providing sections, the ends of which loop providing sections are integral with the hide above and below the slits, the hanger being of safetypin skewer type and com-- prising a supporting section, depending out wardly sprear supporting arms extending from said sup orting section, a relatively straight skewer or pin member swingably mounted upon and carried at the lower end of one of said arms, the other of which supporting arms has a U-shaped eye for the reception and support of the free end of the skewer or pin member, and a U-shaped retaining member providing a rear transversely extending retaining bar from which retaining bar there forwardly extend leg or spacing elements the forward ends or which are connected to the lowerportions of the supporting arms, and which hanger in the assemblage is arranged in respect to the bacon slab in such a manner that the skewer or pm member is threaded under the loop providing sections and in such a manner that the lower end of the supporting arm corre sponoing thereto said U-shaped retaining member serves to hold and clamp the upper; end of the bacon slab firmly between it on the one hand and the skewer or pin member on the other whereby the upper end of the bacon will remain straight during-handling and treatment. 5

6. In the preparing and treatment of bacon slabs the assemblage which comprises a slab of bacon and a safety-pin type of skewer hanger; which slab of bacon has left thereupon at least a portion of the hide or rind, which hide is provided near the upper end of, the slab with a transversely extending set of vertically extending horizontally spaced slits that leave a row of ribbon-like loop providiug hide portions, the ends of which loops are integral with the skin above and-below the slits; a safety-pin type of hanger providmg a supporting section having horizontally spaced depending supporting arms, a skewer member or pin integral with the lower end of one of said depending supporting arms, and a U-shaped retaining member, said skewer or pin member being "swingably mounted at the lower ends of one of said arms and supported at the free end in a hook provided at the lower end of the other supporting arm; said skewer or pin member being threaded under the loop providing 7 hide portions but positioned so that except for said loop portions the skewer or pin membcr engages the outer side ofthehide sections at each sideof the loop portions; the U-shaped retaining member being shaped so that when the free end of the'skewerior pin" member is in the hook at the lower end of the supporting arm corresponding thereto the upper end of the slab is clamped between the skewer or pin member on the one hand and the Ll-shaped retaining member on the other.

Signed at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, this'28th day of'September, 1931;

JOHN E. COVE'Y, 

